Flames To Dust
by Nina Detroit
Summary: Set just after The Dark Knight, this is about Bruce's personal life and his relationship with a character I made up who has links to his superhero and rich life, and how I think he might deal afterwards with the events of The Dark Knight...
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, I thought I would just make a point of saying a little something at the begining of this fanfic because I didn't think it would be so popular so I didn't bother. Anyway. I do not own Batman or any of the characters or places used etc etc, EXCEPT I do own Miss Sophie Swift, Katherine and Rowena because I thought them up... (however I would love to own Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne because he kicks ass, but not the point hehe)**

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Chapter 1- Miss Sophie Swift

"Miss Swift, are you ok?" Sophie opened her eyes to see Katherine standing by her bed a worried expression on her face, "Bad dream?"

"Yes." Sophie struggled to sit up wiping her hand over her forehead and was surprised to find it covered in sweat. She paused thinking for a moment and then the dream came flooding back to her.

"Do you want some breakfast Miss Swift?" asked Katherine carefully, after a nightmare Sophie was likely to throw a fit of rage about petty things like breakfast.

"Yeah, ok." Sophie flicked her hair from her face and rubbed her sore head. "And an aspirin please Katherine."

"Right you are, Miss." Katherine hurried from the room leaving Sophie to contemplate her dream. She sat on the edge of her bed in her silk nightgown, then shook her head and slid off her bed. Then she dropped to the floor and started to do push-ups.

Katherine re-entered the well furnished room with the breakfast tray and aspirin and smiled to see her employer doing exercises so early in the morning.

"Miss, are you sure you should be exercising when you have a headache?"

Grinning, Sophie jumped to her feet,

"Oh, thank you." She accepted a glass of water and took the aspirin, "Of course I should Katherine, you know better than anyone else that I need to keep fit."

"Well... oh, Rowena called last night whilst you were out." Katherine remembered,

"Ah, did she?" Sophie grabbed her towels off their hook, "Can you call her back for me and tell her I'll be out of the shower in five minutes to talk to her." She headed for her en-suite bathroom,

"Miss Swift, no breakfast?" asked Katherine, "Even superheroes need food, you know."

Sophie flashed her a smile,

"Maybe."

Ten minutes later Rowena Spitfire, a renowned inventor and scientist, sat opposite Sophie who had emerged from her shower feeling much better, and now it was down to business.

"I have some designs drafted up for you to inspect, here and here..." Rowena handed Sophie some sheets of paper with drawings, Sophie studied them closely,

"Uh huh, uh huh..." she mused and nodded, scanning them.

"Sophie..." said Rowena, "Katherine said you had another nightmare last night."

"Yeah..." Sophie pretended to be absorbed in the drawings,

"I know it isn't my place to ask, but if you want to talk about it..." Rowena trailed off nervously, then ploughed on, "sometimes it helps, you know?"

"Ah, Rowena, what am I paying you for?" Sophie joked looking up from the paper, Rowena smiled

"Of course, sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Sophie placed the papers down and pointed to one of the drawings, "See here?"

"Mm."

"Are you sure this will withstand Bazooka fire?" she asked, Rowena's eyebrows shot up,

"Bazooka... fire? What exactly are you going to be doing with this?"

Sophie gave another secretive smile,

"I heard on the news that the Batman's 'Bat pod' was destroyed by a bazooka." She settled back in her chair waiting for Rowena to respond. Rowena returned the smile,

"Batman's Bat pod." She said carefully.

"What, you think it isn't true?" Sophie tapped her pen on the table impatiently, "Rowena, I don't think at this stage we can deny he exists."

"I'm not denying he exists," Rowena said, "but I was wondering how you knew that."

"Hm?"

"The Bat pod being destroyed by a bazooka."

"Ah... Rowena, do you watch the news?" again the smile.

"You are watching him closely aren't you?" Rowena guessed, "I wonder why..."

"So is this bazooka proof?" demanded Sophie changing the subject, when you were incredibly rich it cost you nothing to change the subject whenever you wanted, although she often felt a twinge of guilt.

"Well... nothing really is," Rowena said, "that's the point of a bazooka."

"Then what am I going to do if I run into Bazooka fire?"

"I could design it so that a separate vehicle emits from it?" suggested Rowena,

"No, I'm not copying the Batman," Sophie thought for a moment, "Are you sure you can't make it Bazooka proof?"

"Does the Batman bother you at all?" asked Rowena, "You know that Gotham doesn't need two superheroes..."

"Gotham does need them, but doesn't have two superheroes." Stated Sophie, "The Batman is now public enemy number one and wanted by every single police man this side of the country, and I am not a superhero."

"Oh, no?" Rowena smiled, "Ok then, you win, I'll try to make it bazooka proof, but I can't guarantee that it will be possible, however, I will attempt to incorporate it into the design..."

"Oh good, well, see you then." Sophie rose and stretched, "Sorry to rush you but I'm afraid I have to train or I get lazy,"

"Ah, ok. Good doing business with you." She shook her hand and then allowed Katherine, who had just re-appeared in the room, to lead her to the entrance hall.

Sophie watched her go quietly, and then strolled through the doorway and out of the room where she'd just met Rowena. She came into another room which was just off the ballroom where she often held social parties. This other room was furnished like a bathroom, and was, unless you counted the shower which was a hydraulic lift. This lift led to an underground cavern where Sophie was able to keep everything that allowed her to become the other person she was. Sophie stepped into the lift and turned the on switch then pressed a button on top of the shower head and the lift whizzed into life abruptly taking her down.

When the lift stopped, Sophie stepped out and paused to survey her surroundings. She never grew tired of what she'd built beneath her house. A secret underground lab, garage and practise area. On the far wall, opposite the lift, was a rack of different weapons. There was a Kaskara, Nimcha, Jian, Wodao, Nodachi, Katana, two Katanas which could be used together, and a various number of spears. Alongside these were an assortment of small or large things one could throw and grappling hooks that could be shot out of a pistol like thing. Sophie selected the Katana, a personal favourite of hers, and changed into her work out clothes and began to practise. Fast and slow strokes, large and small, then she did a backwards flip and slashed the air. Approving of the movement she did this again. Then she slid the Katana into a scabbard on her back and climbed one of the cave's walls, when she reached a ledge, she took a deep breath and jumped, landing neatly on her feet. Sophie smiled to herself. She was ready for tonight.

Sophie returned upstairs sometime later to find Katherine holding an invitation for her,

"What's this, Katherine?" she asked pleasantly,

"An invitation, for a party, Miss." She replied.

"Oh." Sophie tossed it aside and headed upstairs to change, but Katherine called after her,

"You're not going?"

Sophie turned around halfway up the marble staircase,

"I think not Katherine, you know how busy I am these days."

"This is your social life, Sophie, if you don't heed the call of your fellow millionaires then people will begin to ask questions about what you do with your time and you money." Katherine had a steal edge to her voice, but Sophie shrugged,

"I am busy tonight."

"Sophie Swift! These people are the people of your class, your parent's friends. You cannot back out of this invitation."

"I usually do." Sophie was impatient, "Why not tonight?"

"Because this isn't just a millionaire, this is a billionaire. This man is the owner of the enterprises that, alongside a few others, have shares in your parent's business. If you don't turn up your wealth could decline a lot." Katherine was often wise when she wanted to be.

"I see..." Sophie thought about it for a moment, "Alright, I'll go, but just this once." Then she went upstairs.

Perhaps a brief history of Miss Sophie Swift would be appropriate now. Her parents had been great supporters in the changing of Gotham; they wanted so much for the place. But they were utterly alone in their beliefs as no one else supported it. After her mother's murder, Sophie's father had gone to pieces and vanished. Many said he'd died. Everything was left to Sophie who was slowly watching her home fall apart. So she went away and trained with various different teachers so she learnt many different fighting styles, hence the reason for the African and Asian weapons that lined the wall of her cavern. When she'd returned she had reimbursed the family business and was once again a millionaire living off her family's fortunes. She's wandered the underworld of the city and tried to make things right, but there were too many criminals for her to do anything about them without causing a big scene so she'd lain low, helping those she came across but nothing more. And then he'd come. The Batman. A terror of the night and the man who'd helped Gotham City as she'd tried to do, and after him had come Batman wannabees, people who dressed up in black like him and generally got themselves in trouble. So Sophie had come out of her shell and back onto the streets, this time with a name, an outfit and a secret. She was determined to do what the Batman couldn't do, and now she was determined to help him regain the people's trust. And she was just 26 years old.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- "I'm ill!!"

Bruce Wayne, aka The Batman groaned as the doctor took a closer look at the wound in his abdomen which still was in recovery.

"Well?" he asked,

"It seems, Mr Wayne, that you may have to lay low on the polo for a while..."

"Polo?" Bruce seemed confused at first, then he remembered, "Ah, yes, the polo... haha." He laughed falsely and pushed the doctor away.

"And no more spilunky either." Lucius Fox stood in the doorway, watching Bruce with an amused smile on his face.

"Oh please." Moaned Bruce and tried to crawl back into bed, earning himself a whack over the head from his old butler, Alfred.

"Master Wayne, this is no time to sleep." He said seriously,

"Leave me alone." Mumbled Bruce, flinging his duvet cover over his head. Rolling his eyes, Alfred gestured for the doctor to leave.

"Well Mr Wayne, when are you going to stop hiding?" asked Lucius, "you have a name to honour."

"Who's that, Batman or Bruce Wayne?" mumbled the ex-superhero from underneath his bedcovers.

"Bruce Wayne, sir, Bruce Wayne!!" Alfred sounded exasperated, "Or have you forgotten that you're holding a party tonight."

"Nooo... not tonight..."

Lucius sighed from the doorway,

"Sometimes I wonder why I never took up my threat to leave Gotham for good."

"'Cus we pay you well." A hint of humour entered Bruce's voice which was still muffled by the bed covers.

"Well yes there is that." Lucius laughed, "Anyway, I was just dropping off your new outfit, so I'll see you at your party..." he left the room,

"No, there's no party!" cried Bruce, he sat up, "I'm ill! I'm ill!" Then he gasped as Alfred slapped him with a newspaper. "Ow!"

"Snap out of it, Master Wayne, never in the 30 years I've looked after you have I raised a hand to you properly but I may have to soon!" then he headed for the exit, "you're having that party when you like it or not."

"Fine, whatever..." Bruce glanced down at the newspaper that Alfred had hit him with and stared, "Hey, Alfred, look!" he exclaimed, but the old butler was gone. Throwing back the covers, Bruce leapt to his feet and headed to the main part of his penthouse where there was a TV, ignoring the stabbing pains he got from the fast movement.

"Look, Alfred!" he switched on the TV and to his satisfaction, Alfred came over to him interested.

"Yes Master Wayne?"

As he'd predicted the newspaper's headline was also on the news and the newsreader flashed up,

"Many people believe that the Batman is not responsible for the killings, but someone else and the police are trying to cover it up." The news reader was saying, "however, Batman's new disgraced name still hasn't stopped many others from trying to follow in his footsteps, the police has already arrested six men all who claimed to be Batman, but none of them are, and of course there are no people talking about the so called Gotham Guardian Angel, the NightKat. Spectators say they saw this purple and black clad woman saving some people from The Narrows, but not pursuing any kind of criminal. Now we are asking ourselves, who is this NightKat and what does she want? Was she inspired by the Batman, or is the real thing?" a fuzzy video flashed up on screen of a figure clad in purple and black, wearing a mask and a hood with pointy ears on the top.

"Well I never..." mused Alfred, Bruce recognised that voice and turned accusingly to him,

"You knew about this, this... NightKat?" he asked,

"Well, Master Wayne I didn't want you thinking it was another amateur." Alfred apologised,

"But you think she's not?" he asked incredulously,

"Oh not me, Master Wayne, Mr Fox thought that. He took one look at her, er, facilities and said that he'd never seen such find equipment except for his own."

"Holy..." Bruce muttered, "who is she?" he watched as the news reporter carried on rambling about the levels of crime and finally he turned off the TV. "And the police aren't after her!" he exclaimed, then lowered his voice as a servant enterted the room with a pile of party replies, Bruce nodded to the servant then carried on as he left the room. "I don't understand why they haven't issued a warrant for her arrest..."

"Well, Master Wayne, she hasn't been accused of killing anyone and she really only saves people."

"They say she was inspired by Batman." Bruce said, "Do you think this is true?"

"Oh, I'm not in any position to say," Alfred said, "but I remember a few years before you came back there was whispers of a Guardian Angel around The Narrows, but then the whispers ended."

"Hmm..." Bruce considered this, "well whoever she is, I need to find out because I don't want her putting herself in danger."

"Ah, always the gentleman sir." Joked Alfred and then pointed at the pile of party invites replies, "seems your party is going to be a big one."

"Oh please..." Bruce rolled his eyes and looked longingly at his bedroom door, but Alfred shook his head,

"You've been hiding for too long, people are really going to start talking about it."

"Can I get drunk?"

"NO!"

Bruce glanced at himself in one of the big windows of his apartment as he walked past, his reflection winked back at him. All around him his guests chatted amongst themselves, discussing whatever rich people discussed. Bruce helped himself to another glass of champagne, and then caught Alfred's disproving glare. Bruce stared at the flute in his hand and wondered how many glasses he'd had. He tried to calculate, but couldn't think that quickly. Hastily he grabbed some water as well and headed for the balcony, ready to throw that glass of alcohol over the side then stopped abruptly. Someone else had beaten him to it and was tipping the liquid in their glass down over the side of the huge building.

"I do hope that's not alcohol you're wasting." he joked and the person spun around. It was a young woman. Even half drunk Bruce could see she was beautiful, with golden blonde hair gently curled and pinned up with a few strands escaping to wisp down her face in a attractive way. Her blue eyes were surprised at being caught and she blushed.

"No..."

"Right." Bruce went over to the side of the balcony and tipped his glass over the side then swigged down the glass of water in one go. "I really hope not because it cost me an arm and a leg." He winked and she blushed more.

"You... you're Bruce Wayne?"

"I am?" he laughed at her puzzled expression, then she relaxed and smiled. "So, what do you think of my erm..." he lamely gestured with his empty champagne flute at the part going on inside,

"Social gathering for bored billionaires?" she finished. He fixed her with a look and then nodded,

"Exactly."

"Well, in truth I really didn't want to come." She said carefully, "but my parents were friends of yours and your industry has a share in mine so I really couldn't refuse your invitation."

"Ah, see that makes perfect sense." Drawled Bruce, "But most people in their are related to me somehow like that and to be honest I didn't invite any of them."

"Oh?"

"Nah, one of my servants did. I just stand there and smile at them all and pretend I give a damn." He glanced at her quickly in case she took offense, but like he'd predicted she was the sort of person who understood.

"I know how it feels, really." She smiled at him, "you obviously have far better things to do with your time huh?"

"Yeah..." they lapsed into silence, but it was comfortable. Bruce thought, I like this girl, she understands me. And he was about to ask her, her name when a scream rang out from inside his party.

"Someone must have drunk too much." He mused and the girl laughed,

"Yes. Like you, I suppose."

"Me?!" exclaimed Bruce, then realised it was true, he couldn't really think very fast and could barely stand. If someone was screaming because they needed help, he wouldn't be able to help them.

Another scream.

Bruce shrugged and attempted to walk inside, but he tripped and fell over.

"Woops." He laughed from the floor and caught sight of her face. She laughed too. Then she swooped past him and inside and said something which sounded very much like

"Idiot."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Party time...

Sophie left the playboy billionaire lying on the floor of his balcony and went to see what was going on. She found Bruce amusing, but if someone was in trouble she would have to help. Inside a man with a top hat and a cane prowled up and down among the guests eating Bruce's food and generally scaring the living daylights out of the guests.

"Do you know who I am?" he spoke in a casual drawl, addressing one of the guests, "My name is The Riddler and I am looking for a Mister Wayne... anyone seen him?"

Sophie slid past him and edged towards the door, but saw it was guarded by henchmen. Not good, she thought, and then yelled to The Riddler,

"He's crashed on the balcony!"

The Riddler spun around and grinned at her,

"Cheers, beautiful!" he tipped his hat and then nodded to his henchmen who went through the balcony doors and dragged a surprised Bruce to his feet.

Sophie didn't wait to see what happened next, she slid out of the door and ran as fast as she could to the lift. She jumped in and pressed the ground floor button then flipped out her phone,

"Katherine, can you get my driver to come round to the front of Mr Wayne's penthouse building please?"

"Sure, why? Leaving already?"

"No! I need my suit."

"Your suit?" Katheine paused then realised, "Oh no, what's happened?"

"Someone named The Riddler is here to do god-knows-what to a drunk Mr Wayne, look him up for me will you, as well?"

"Who, Mr Wayne?"

"No!" Sophie ran out of the lift as it hit the ground floor and dashed over to the car, hanging up on Katherine. She accepted the her outfit and then said, "The Riddler. Look him up, then send it to my earpiece."

"Ok."

Sophie dashed over to an alley so she could change and fitted her earpiece first. As she slid into black boots, black leggings, purple skirt with slit, black top, purple gloves, black mask and purple cloak with cat ears, Katherine said into her ear,

"The Riddler, supposedly had some kind of dealings with The Joker and The Puzzler."

"Right," muttered Sophie, "he sounds like one of those freaks. Anything else?"

"Like what?"

"Weaknesses, weapons he uses, anything."

Sophie grabbed her neatly done hair and tied it securely up into a bun, then slung her double katanas over her back and aimed the grappling hook gun thing for the roof. She clipped her end to her belt and said,

"I'm going up now. Anything?"

"Hm, well he uses Riddles and usually hand to hand combat, guns and stuff, but I don't know how this going to help..."

"Never mind." Muttered Sophie and pressed a button on her belt, whizzing upwards.

...

Bruce knew there was nothing he could do as the henchman dragged him from the floor of the balcony and through his worried looking guests over to the man in the top hat.

"Ah, Mister Wayne!" he grinned in a way a fox grins at its prey, "So good of you to join us."

"No worries!" joked Bruce, wondering what he was going to do. He couldn't particularly go into Batman mode or risk exposure of his double life, neither could he rely on Batman to rescue him, plus he was also too drunk to attempt to engage this man in a fight. Better to talk his way out of it than into anything.

"Ha, a regular joker, eh?" said the man, "well I don't do jokes, I'm The Riddler and I do-"

"Riddles, right?" asked Bruce,

"Shut up!" screamed The Riddler, and one of the henchmen holding Bruce punched his face.

"That hurt." Said Bruce defensively,

"Stop being so cocky, how to you think it will help you?" snarled The Riddler, all fake charming-ness gone, replaced by real 'don't mess with me' kind of thing. "Or do you think The Batman will save you?" his mouth curled as he said, showing clearly what he thought of Batman.

Out of the corner of his eye Bruce saw Alfred and Lucuis' worried faces amongst his guests and he dimly wondered what had happened to the girl he'd met on the balcony,

"Well I had hoped-" began Bruce, but was cut short by The Riddler who grabbed his throat,

"There is NO ONE." He snarled, "So shut up and listen to what I want you to do, because NO ONE is coming to save you!"

Bruce was tempted to say he didn't need saving, but at that moment a clear voice rang out from the balcony area.

"Oh, are you so sure about that Mr Riddler?" The Riddler and all the guests, it seemed, spun around in slow motion to face the figure crouched on the side of the balcony railings.

"Hmm?" The Riddler seemed unfazed for a moment, then she raised her head and he paled, "The... NightKat!" he gasped. Her cloak billowed out behind her and her eyes flashed.

At that moment, Bruce knew she wasn't just an amateur and thought so even more as she flipped from the railings, through the open balcony door and onto the floor in front of The Riddler.

"Question..." The Riddler was backing away now, but he was keeping his cool, "why do you wear a hood with cat ears on the top?"

"Why do you think?" she asked quietly, "why do you wear a top hat?" then she lunged forward, her boot connecting with his stomache.

"Oof!" he cried and fell backwards, then she spun around and faced the henchmen. They aimed their guns at her, and Sophie thought 'I've got to lead them away from the guests'. But The Riddler waved the henchmen to stop with a wave of his hand,

"No," he said, "she'll just finish you, we're finished." He tried to go for the exit. But at that moment, Bruce could take it no more. True he had to hide his identity, but he, Bruce Wayne also known as Batman had just been shown up by a girl (not that anyone else knew that, but he did) and it had hurt his pride.

"Hey, Riddler." He said, "Don't come swaggering in here without eating some food."

The Riddler looked confused, until he found himself with a face full of banana gateau that Bruce just lobbed at him. Knowing the guests would be wondering why he'd just done it, Bruce then collapsed onto the floor pretending to be asleep. 'Let them think I'm drunk' he thought contentedly.

Sophie stepped forward to The Riddler, who shook his head and ran for it followed by the henchmen.

"Is anyone hurt here?" Sophie asked the watchful guests, they shook their heads. "Good." She headed for the balcony and just as she was about to launch herself over the side of the balcony, a man called after her,

"You can't be serious?" she turned back,

"Huh?"

"The Batman has a cloak that becomes wings but you don't."

"Cats don't fly," she said simply, "They always land on their feet." Then she was gone, dropping over the side, smiling at the guests horrified expressions. As she came closer to the ground, she kicked her boots together and super powered jets of something Rowena had invented for her spurted out the bottom of her boots and she flew to a stop then landed, on her feet.

...

Bruce opened his eyes and watched as Alfred grimly handed him his breakfast and turned on the TV,

"I'm afraid you made the news last night." He said grimly,

"I did?" Bruce looked worried, wondering if he'd accidently revealed who he really was, but then he remembered what had happened, "don't you mean the NightKat and The Riddler, made the news?"

"Well and you sir..." grimly Alfred pointed to the news reporter who once again flashed Bruce with her cheesy smile

"...it seems last night," she was saying, "that Mr Bruce Wayne had an unexpected visitor last night, well two in fact." A video that someone had obviously done on their phone flashed up on screen, as the reporter over voice the scene of The Riddler and The NightKat facing it off, "after The Riddler turned up and threatened Mr Wayne at his own party, Mr Wayne was saved by Gotham's very own NightKat. After The Riddler was embarrassingly shown up by The NightKat, Mr Wayne also had his own say about The Riddler crashing his party..."

"Oh no." Moaned Bruce, knowing what was coming next, once again another video, this time with sound.

The video showed The Riddler about to leave and then flashed to a drunk looking Bruce,

"Hey, Riddler." He said, "Don't come swaggering in here without eating some food." Then he lobbed the banana gateau at The Riddler who looked shocked to have a face full of banana, but the scene cut back to Bruce as he swayed on his feet and collapsed much to the horror of his guests with an amused over voice of:

"And it seems Mr Wayne did not find The Riddler's intrusion scary, in fact it seems the young billionaire had simply had too much to drink and was ready to, hit the floor." The reporter laughed at her joke, and Alfred, seeing Bruce's expression, turned off the TV.

"Well, Master Wayne, seems you made an impression last night then," said Alfred

"Oh..." Bruce sighed and tried to hide underneath his covers again, but then he remembered the girl he'd met and sat up.

"Say, Alfred if I described one of my guests to you would you be able to identify her for me? I never got her name..."

"Hm, I'm not sure Master Wayne..." Alfred frowned slightly, "give it a go anyway."

"Well she's a bit younger than me, I'd say, about this high, blonde hair, blue eyes, possibly didn't want to be there either..." he trailed off, "not helping?"

"Hm, you could mean Miss Sophie Swift?" Alfred asked, Bruce shrugged, "I don't know Alfred, I didn't get her name."

"She was the only young and blonde female guest you had there last night," Alfred said, "I presume you are talking about last night, yes?"

"Yes."

"OK, well why don't I give her a call and ask her if she-"

"No, no." Laughed Bruce, "I'll go over to her house and see if it is her, if not I'll make up an excuse." He swung out of bed and started sorting through his clothes, then Alfred said,

"May I inquire why you are interested in this young woman, Master Wayne?"

"Hm, me?" Bruce looked guiltily up, "She was just interesting, and that's all."

"Ah, right."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- An Encounter with Mr Wayne

Sophie hefted the new sword she had just ordered from a dealer out in Asia, It was a rare breed of sword and very heavy, she grinned as she swung it around, despite that it was perfect.

After half an hour of practise, Katherine called the phone that was in the cavern. Sophie picked it up impatiently,

"hello?"

"Oh, Miss, there's someone here to see you and he won't go away no matter how hard I try'd to convinve you weren't here, but he wouldn't listen." Stammered Katherine, Sophie rolled her eyes,

"Who is it?"

"Mr Wayne."

"What?!" Sophie yelled, "Send him away, I'm busy!"

"I know, Miss, I told him but he wouldn't listen- oh!"

"What?"

"Miss, you'd better hurry up! He's poking around your stuff looking amused..." but Sophie had slammed the phone down. That was it.

She ran over to the lift, but not before checking her appearance in a mirror. It struck her as funny, as she shook her head at her stupidity. Why would she care what he thought of her? He was just a playboy billionaire with plenty of time on his hands.

When the lift reached the bathroom at the top she stepped out of the shower, flung open the door and bumped straight into a grinning Mr Wayne.

"Miss Swift!" he exclaimed happily, "I don't think I got the pleasure of your name last night... were you just in the bathroom?" he asked incredulously, looking at her disarrayed clothes.

"Maybe..." she led him away from her bathroom, "what do I owe the honour of this visit Mr Wayne?" she asked,

"Well you know how it is," he had an amused expression on his face, "after one crashes out at a party he threw and having an unexpected guest turn up I was just wondering if you were ok?"

"I saw what happened on the news." Sophie said carefully, "but I'm afraid to say I left after you crashed out on the balcony."

"Oh." His face fell in disappointment,

"And I do not think it's so good for you to be getting drunk every party you throw." She scolded, Bruce laughed, then he bent close to her ear and whispered,

"I wasn't drunk. I knew exactly what I was doing and why."

"Oh really?" she ducked away from him and went to sit down in a chair, "and why is that?"

He settled down opposite her,

"I had a feeling this NightKat would come and rescue me."

"A woman in a mask." She sounded disgusted, "It's almost as bad as Batman,"

"A man in a mask?"

"Yes." She threw the comment at him "you can't really believe that these people who disguise their identities are Gotham's answer to salvation?"

"Well..." he shrugged, "maybe not. But if not them, then who?" Sophie sighed,

"I don't know, but what I do know is that you and I do not need to worry about it. It's the poor people's business anyway, as long you and I are rich it doesn't matter. No one will pay us any attention."

"I thought that's what you'd say," muttered Bruce,

"Pardon?"

"Nothing." He grinned, "You're quite right, of course. Which is why I amuse myself buying hotels and-"

"women?" finished Sophie with a sour look in her eyes,

"Haha, no actually, the women seen to come onto me..." he flashed her a dazzling smile, "anyway, it was nice meeting you properly Miss Swift and maybe we could meet up again sometime?"

"I think not." Muttered Sophie, but then she added, "Of course, why not?"

"Great, see you then." He headed for the doorway, "I'll see myself out."

Sophie watched as he left through the front door smiling to himself and she shook her head. Really. She shouldn't have let such a man catch her attention, but he had and for once in her life she felt trapped.

That night Sophie donned her outfit and went out to search for The Puzzler. She'd found links to where he might live, but she wasn't sure if they false trails, or real ones. The first one was an apartment in the middle of The Narrows, as the rain fell Sophie scaled the side of the building and slipped in through an open window.

The apartment was shabby in design and there wasn't much there. Grimly she searched around, then she heard a door slam and quickly concealed herself in the shadows.

A man, followed by two others entered the room and started to search also. The one in the suit spoke softly but authoritatively,

"Find them, now."

Sophie watched as they began to remove floorboards until they found three or four books. Interested, Sophie slipped out of the shadows and grabbed one of the books. It was full of riddles. A clue? Then one of the men spotted her,

"Er, Boss..." he began, but Sophie kicked him round the face, and cart wheeled over to the other one, knocking him down, then she turned to face the man in the suit.

Suddenly she found herself with a mouthful of some kind of gas stuff and she staggered backwards with a blow to her head.

"Well, well, well..." a strangely magnified voice said, and she found herself staring at the leering face of a Scarecrow.

"You should be in prison," she managed to say, despite the fact her head was whirling,

"Perhaps..." he grinned, "what do you fear the most?"

...

Bruce stared at Lucius in horror,

"No, you're kidding?"

"I'm serious, Bruce, the Scarecrow escaped and I know where he's headed. If I were you, I'd chase him."

"I've retired." Moaned Bruce, but the thought of getting his bat gear back on was an appealing one.

"Just this once," Lucius said, "you're immune to him, perhaps the only one except Commissioner Gordon, you are the only one who can take him on. What else did I design that new bat suit for?"

"True, true..." mused Bruce, "alright, just this once, but don't tell Alfred, he'll just worry!"

3 minutes later, Bruce was whizzing out the warehouse underneath his penthouse in the new and improved bat car Lucius had rustled up for him.

...

Sophie staggered away from the Scarecrow as he threw attacks at her, trying to get her mask off. The drug wasn't having much of a scare factor on her, but it was having an effect on her reaction. She grabbed the window frame of the window she'd come through to steady herself and faced the man with the mask on.

"Back off." She warned, "I'm looking for The Puzzler."

"Hahahaha! What a shame you'll never find him." Laughed the Scarecrow advancing towards her, Sophie tried to pull herself together. It was clear that this was a fear inducing drug, but her fear was such a rare one that it wasn't coming apparent, although she was sure any minute it would.

"You can't hurt me." She said, and lashed out with her fists, dealing a flying blow to the Scarecrow, but he blocked it and then aimed for her face with his own punch. The punch never came. A black shape had appeared in between them.

"Huh," it said, "I'm looking for the Scarecrow and I find him attacking the NightKat."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Wha... Batman? Batman?" asked the Scarecrow, "Nu, no way!"

"Hello Crane." Snarled Bruce and then in a flurry of cloak and blackness he'd floored the corrupt Doctor. He turned to the NightKat. She was shaking slightly and seemed as though she couldn't stand.

"Are you ok?" he asked quietly, she shook her head.

"I think... he poisoned me..."

"OH!" Bruce glanced at Crane, of course he had. "You can see your fear, huh?"

"No..." she swayed were she stood slightly, "No..."

"Strange."

Somewhere a siren sounded and she seemed to snap out of her delirium,

"The police!" she hissed and grabbed his arm. Bruce was amazed she missed the deadly spikes sticking out of it, "you have to leave now."

"You've been poisoned, I can't just leave you."

"Admirable." She said scornfully, "but really, I can get help at a hospital."

"No, you can't. You don't understand." Bruce said, "what he used on you cannot be cured by hospitals. I have a cure." He paused "but can you trust me?"

She blinked and he saw a flash of blue eyes beneath her mask,

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I killed people. Don't you watch the news?" Bruce said softly,

"Oh, I know that wasn't you, it was-" but the poison made her gasp with pain and she couldn't finish. "how do I know you won't remove my mask?"

"You have my word." He grinned, "As a villain of the night." Then his grin faded as she nodded and collapsed into his arms.

Wordlessly Bruce placed her gently onto the floor and turned to Cane who lay whimpering on the floor.

"Cut the act the doctor." He said bitterly, "you're not fooling anyone. How many times do I have to lock you up before you get the message?" Crane laughed, a creepy sound

"Oh Batman," he said, "you never lock me up, it's always those hopeless men you call the police who right now are out to capture you."

"Perhaps. Maybe I should lock you up myself, although..." with a glance at the NightKat's slumped body he reconsidered. Then he reached forward and took hold of the mask. "But I can remove your means of weapon." He said grimly and folded it up, placing it somewhere secure in his suit and then he picked up the NightKat easily and headed for the door.

...

Sophie gingerly opened her eyes and found she was looking up at the ceiling of a low warehouse. She blinked and realised her mask was still on. Carefully she sat up and went to remove it, when an amused voice said

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"What?!" she sprung to her feet and saw it was The Batman, a grin on his face. "Oh, it's you." She murmured, "how do I know that you didn't remove my mask?"

"You don't." He said then hurried on as a panicked look crossed her face, "but I swear to you I didn't. I swear it."

"Hm," Sophie was entirely convinced, but she would just have to trust him for the moment, she saw that.

Batman walked over to the table where she had been lying,

"How are you feeling now?" he asked

"Better, what happened?"

"You were poisoned, listen-" he changed the subject fast, "being on Gotham's streets doing the stuff you do, is my job. I'm cut out for that, you're not."

"Why?! Because I'm girl?" demanded Sophie angrily, "I have endured training from some of the best teachers in the world, you cannot possibly say that I am not cut out for this!" Batman threw up his hands in protest,

"That's not what I meant," he began, but Sophie cut him short,

"No, you're right. I know what you meant, you don't want something to happen to me and then people will stop putting their faith in us because they will realise that we are just ordinary people, right?"

"I am not an ordinary person, NightKat." Said Batman, "I have experienced what no one else has, my memories is what makes me who I am."

"You cannot start making assumptions about how strong or not I am!" snapped Sophie, "Not at least until you have tested it!"

"Is that a challenge?" he asked quietly. Sophie clenched her fists.

"Yes."

"I take you back here and save your life and this is how you repay me?" he asked, "Nice."

Sophie faced him,

"So we fight." Then she moved with lightning speed towards him and aimed a punch, and then he blocked it. She aimed another and another and he did the same thing, then he aimed for her she did the same, blocking him each time. Then she tried a few kicks, and he blocked them, then the other way round and they carried on in this vain for a while until he caught the side of her stomach and she staggered backwards.

They had been moving so fast, to a person watching it would have seemed like a blur, but to them it had been hard work. They paused, Sophie was out of breath and the Batman was waiting for her,

"You're going easy on me." She accused.

"Maybe." He smiled at her angry expression, "Well, yes and no. I could just fire these spikes from my arm plate and kill you, but the trouble with that is that would defeat the point of the strongest person."

"And I could just draw my hidden katana dagger and kill you." She responded, but in an understanding way.

"Exactly."

"So now what?" she asked, "you're defiantly the best person I've ever fought."

"Same here." Replied the Batman, "well except for my teacher who was a pain to kill."

"Your teacher?" Sophie asked, her curiosity getting the better of her,

"Yes. He'd gone crazy." Batman smiled, "Are we finished then?"

"Have I won yet?" it wasn't a question, a statement,

"Oh I don't think you will." Replied Batman. Sophie scowled,

"Fine. Let me go home."

"You're free to go." Batman pointed to the door, "but in order to protect my identity I need to sedate you."

"Charming." Sophie muttered, but mutely allowed Batman to place a needle in her arm. As she dropped off she thought to herself, 'I recognise that smile... I'm sure of it...'

...

Bruce watched her drop off then removed his mask. It had been tempting to remove her mask, but he was an honourable man and so he'd kept to his word. Instead, he'd told Alfred to remove it and then put it back, asking him if she was a threat. Chuckling, Alfred had said

"No, I don't think so Master Wayne, though I'm sure you'll find out soon enough." This response had only piqued Bruce's curiosity even more, but he had mutely ignored it. Now he thought about the fight they'd just had. She was strong, that was for sure. Not as physically strong as him, but quicker and just as skilled with hand to hand combat.

"And I'm sure she's just as good with weapons too..." he muttered, removing the rest of his bat suit

"What's that, Master Wayne?" asked Alfred as he came down the lift into the warehouse,

"Ah, nothing Alfred, would you please take NightKat home?"

"Yes, of course sir... but..."

"Yes?"

"I don't know where she lives Master Wayne."

"Look it up, you know her right?" Bruce raised an eyebrow

"Not very well, Master Wayne," said Alfred, "**but I can try I suppose..."**

"**Good." Bruce waved a hand dismissing his butler carrying NightKat and then he sat down at his computer and began to search for information on the mysterious Puzzler.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sophie politely declined Bruce Wayne's invitation to dinner the following evening. Although Katherine had been disappointed at first (she thought it was wonderful that Mr Wayne had shown an interest in Sophie) she soon realised that Sophie was genuinely not up to it. After she had been dropped off at her house still in her NightKat outfit by an unknown man, Katherine had sent for the doctor worried that Sophie was desperately ill. But when Sophie had woken and half explained what had happened, Katherine was at ease. She was still worried about Sophie's condition, too much trying to save people, she said, but Sophie had assured her she was safe.

If Mr Wayne was disappointed that Sophie had declined his invitation, he didn't show it. On the contrary, it seemed as though he didn't care. His handsome face was displayed all over the news as he made a flashy entrance at the restaurant he'd booked, accompanied by a slender, beautiful actress named Renea Decortez. Sophie found she was annoyed, almost jealous. But she reasoned she was in no fit state to be around Mr Wayne that evening, and he would perhaps leave her alone after that. But she was wrong.

A few days later, Sophie found herself with an invitation from Bruce (the rich were very into sending invitations) to join him at Gotham's opening of its Art Exhibition in the Gotham Art Gallery. Mr Wayne explained over the phone to a delighted Katherine that he was one of the gallery's sponsors; therefore it was his duty to go. He would be making a speech in front of some of the most important and powerful people of Gotham and he had decided that he wanted someone a little grander than an actress to accompany him. Katherine had accepted the invite for Sophie, saying there was no way she would be allowed to get away with avoiding this one.

A new dress was ordered for the occasion, Sophie hated new dresses. When people sent them to her as gifts they were usually the opposite to what she liked best. But this new dress she had chosen herself and was grudgingly impressed by it. It was the same blue as her eyes (to bring out the colour, the dressmaker had said) with short sleeves that hung over her shoulders and simple decorations of silver thread and crystal gemstones along the bottom and at the low neckline. Katherine had done her hair, she had pulled back some of the front bits and tied them gently with a blue bow, the rest she allowed to hang over Sophie's shoulders in almost natural waves.

"You look stunning and I'm sure Mr Wayne will agree." Katherine told Sophie just before it was time for Bruce to pick her up in his Rolls Royce.

"I'd rather he didn't agree." Retorted Sophie and Katherine frowned,

"But he's so nice," she protested, "and has a definite interest in you."

"He's a billionaire playboy." Corrected Sophie, "that's hardly 'nice'."

Then the butler arrived to tell her Mr Wayne had just turned up looking "very fashionable". For some reason Sophie felt nervous as she adjusted the pale silver shawl over her dress and made her way to the staircase that led to the entrance hall. As she 

descended the stairs she felt her heart pound and mentally scolded herself, 'you don't care what Bruce thinks of you, Sophie!' she told herself, 'he's just a billionaire playboy... you keep reminding yourself that!'

Then she saw Bruce in the entrance hall looking a portrait of Sophie's mother, and she went over to him.

"Are we going or not?" she asked, adding a little chill to her voice,

"Well you were the one who took your ti-" he began as he turned around then he stopped and stared, attempting to speak a few times, then finally he managed "you look... amazing..."

Sophie felt herself blush, 'so much for trying to stop him from emotionally affecting me' she thought dismally,

"You look very... fashionable." She said, and meant it. He was wearing a black suit which made him look the entire gentleman he was supposed to be. Bruce laughed, then offered her his arm

"I'm glad to hear it, this tux cost me more that my house did." He joked, "Shall we go then?"

...

They arrived at the Art Gallery about 10 minutes later; Alfred said he'd take the car round to where the other cars were parked and wait for Bruce there. Then Bruce led Sophie into the Art Gallery.

He saw to his amusement that Sophie was surprised to find so many people greeting him there, all knowing who he was and generally able to have a conversation with him. One man, a man who had been at Bruce's birthday party he had held earlier on the previous year, when he'd rudely dismissed his guests, ignored Bruce entirely and when through a whole show of greeting Sophie and asking her about her family. Bruce was impressed to hear Sophie reply,

"Which part of my family do you mean, Fredericks? The ones who are pushing up daisies in Gotham Graveyard and no doubt you owe money to, or the ones who sensibly have nothing to do with my family as they offended my father?"

Fredericks was taken aback by that, and hastily excused himself.

"You scared him off, poor little man." Commented Bruce, accepting two glasses of red wine from a tray being offered to him by a waiter and handing one to Sophie.

"Well he was very rude to you." Sophie retorted, "He completely ignored you even though you are by far the most important in society out of the two of us."

"Ah, that may be because I was slightly rude to him at my birthday party last year." Bruce explained, "The one where I was 'so drunk' I burnt my home down."

"Oh I think I read about that in the papers." Mused Sophie, then added, "See, that it what drinking does to you." She handed back the glass of red wine.

"You don't drink?"

"Not at the moment, no." She smiled at him coyly. A moment later the owner of the Art Gallery called Mr Garnet stepped up onto the raised platform at one end of the gallery and cleared his throat into the microphone.

"Thank you everyone for coming here tonight..." he began, Bruce turned quickly to Sophie,

"Hey, Sophie, can I talk to you privately for a moment?" She gave him a puzzled stare, wondering what he could possibly want, then shrugged,

"Sure, where?"

Bruce nodded to the posh French doors that led into the dark rose garden,

"Just out there." He led her over to the doors as Mr Garnet droned on about the gallery and his hopes for it, Bruce found he was nervous. He had thought long and hard about where he was going with Sophie Swift and had finally come to a conclusion about how it should be between them. True it hadn't even been a year since Rachel's death, but asking Sophie to be his girlfriend wasn't going to hurt. Bruce wondered what Sophie would say, she was often cold towards him but he figured she was with most people, clearly trying to keep them out of her personal life.

When they reached the doors he faced her and said,

"I've been thinking seriously about you and me, Sophie, and I-"

"You and me?" she gave a laugh, "Surely that was quite difficult for you seeing as you don't do much serious thinking?" Bruce realised she had kind of insulted him, but he brushed it aside and stepped closer to her,

"Wouldn't you like there to be a bit more to us?" he asked softly, her blue eyes widened,

"I really don't think that's such a good idea."

"But don't you wonder what if...?" he drew even closer and then at that moment he was interrupted by a woman with grey hair in a neat bob and a red lipstick smile,

"Sophie Swift?" Sophie stepped away from Bruce and gazed at the woman confused for a moment, then she seemed to register who she was,

"Lady Shymmer?"

"The one and only!" smiled Lady Shymmer and she gave Sophie a hug. Bruce stared between them, wondering how they knew each other.

"Oh, Lady Shymmer this is Bruce Wayne." Sophie remembered her manners and quickly introduced Bruce,

"Ah, pleasure to meet you." Lady Shymmer nodded at Bruce, then turned back to Sophie,

"How are you my dear?"

"Quite well thank you." Bruce noticed that Sophie seemed uncomfortable and wondered what was up.

"Wonderful!" smiled Lady Shymmer, clasping her hands together, "have you seen William yet?"

Sophie went pale and shook her head,

"No, we haven't spoken in a... long time." She finished faintly, although Lady Shymmer didn't notice,

"Well, never mind that dear, maybe you should speak to him soon to arrange a date for the wedding?" she asked cheerfully, Sophie seemed as though she couldn't speak then at last Bruce understood.

"You, you're engaged?" he asked incredulously, Sophie blushed, and then went pale again. Lady Shymmer answered for her,

"Yes, she's been engaged to my son for 16 years, it was arranged by her parents and me." She beamed from Sophie to Bruce, not understanding the awkward silence and then Mr Garnet announced,

"And now my special guest Mr Bruce Wayne will make a little speech."

"Huh?" Bruce glanced up, all eyes on him, except Sophie who was just looking at the ground,

"Mr Wayne?" Mr Garnet gestured to the platform which he stood on and Bruce gave a forced grin and hurried over,

He cleared his throat as Mr Garnet had done and paused, wondering what to say. His mind had gone completely blank finding out Sophie was engaged. He had thought she was perfect for him, she understood him and wasn't after him or his money. But now he knew she was engaged.

"Mr Wayne?" Mr Garnet, beside Bruce on the platform indicated Bruce should say something.

"Erm, right..." he started then caught sight of Sophie heading for the exit, 'where's she going?' he thought worriedly.

"I'd like to take this err, opportunity to thank you all for supporting the gallery," he said quickly, "as you all know I'm a very rich playboy who doesn't do much with his time but drink and party and-" he stopped as he saw Sophie leave the hall, at a run now, then he ploughed on "and I'd just like to say... I'm really glad to be part of something other than all that." Then he jumped down from the platform and ran towards the exit, much to the surprise of all the people there.

Once through the doors he glanced around for Sophie and saw her heading across the road,

"Sophie!" he called, then the blare of a fast moving lorry sounded and he looked down the road. A huge lorry was headed straight for Sophie, who seemed fixed still: frozen to the road staring at the lorry about to hit her.

...

So there it was. The cat was out of the bag and Bruce knew the truth. Sophie watched as he headed towards the raised platform to make a speech and her heart pounded.

She knew it was a mistake getting involved with him. A playboy billionaire who spent his money on restaurants and stuff for rich, but not permanent girlfriends. And what had he been about to say to her? She knew only too well. Lady Shymmer had worked it out too and was looking disapprovingly at Sophie, who now averted her gaze to the floor. Bruce began to speak.

Sophie headed for the exit, not wanting to hear what he had to say as she could already hear the hurt in his voice. As he began to say more she ran out of the entrance and onto the street. She started to wonder if anyone would follow her but then reasoned they wouldn't. Bruce was popular, people wanted to hear what he had to say.

Sophie started to cross the road, which was a very big one with 3 big lanes. Then she heard the blare of a lorry horn and stopped and stared. Even with her training she was sure she wouldn't make it, and the shock of meeting Lady Shymmer also made her reactions slow. 'I'd forgotten about the arranged marriage' she thought helplessly, 'I thought I was free... I was wrong'.

Then, just as the lorry was upon her a shape hurled across the road, grabbing her and pulling her to safety. The lorry whizzed past, angry shouting emitting from inside. Then it was quiet.

Sophie found herself in the arms of the person who'd saved her, she felt warm and safe, and their shirt smelt nice. She glanced up to see who it was and nearly died.

"Bruce?"

"God, Sophie, I thought you were going to be flattened!" he exclaimed, "Why didn't you move?"

"I don't know, I just... I don't..." she stammered, confused and finding it hard to say what she had to say. Then she realised Bruce was still holding her in his arms, he was kneeling on the ground: his trousers ripped apart from where he'd somehow slid across the road at the end. "Your trousers..." she muttered,

"They can be replaced." He soothed, "you can't."

Sophie looked up into his huge, alluring eyes. Big mistake, as she couldn't look away.

Then he bent his head slightly and kissed her.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

For a moment Sophie lost all sense of time, and found herself floating in bliss. Then she remembered that a) she was still lying in Bruce's arms, b) she was engaged, and c) Bruce was a billionaire playboy. She resisted the temptation to stay longer being kissed by him and slapped him hard. Abruptly he drew away and stared at her, his eyes full of hurt.

"What was that for?"

She struggled out of his arms and stood,

"Maybe you can use that cheap trick on Renea Decortez, but it won't work on me!!" Bruce got to his feet too and looked dismally at his ruined trousers,

"I'll have you know nothing happened between me and Renea!" he replied hotly, feeling anger well up inside him, "she was my guest at a dinner I had planned for you and me, that is all!"

"You can't fool me, Bruce Wayne!" she yelled, feeling tears fill her eyes, "I know you play girls as if they were nothing!" she turned to cross the road, turning away from Bruce so he couldn't see her tears. But he grabbed her arm,

"Sophie, be careful of the road!" he warned, then he saw her tears and drew her into a hug. "I'm sorry." He whispered, realising how he'd hurt her. "Ok, I'm just sorry."

Sophie resisted at first, and then allowed herself to cry onto his shirt. Thus ruining another item of his clothing as her makeup dripped onto it and Bruce, who was usually so good with words, knew that at that moment, there was nothing else to say.

...

Bruce stared moodily at the servant who had just come to tell him that the shirt he'd worn the previous day had not washed clean of makeup.

"Can't you put it through the wash again?" he asked

"I'm afraid not Master Wayne, it seems the makeup is waterproof..." the servant said

"Waterproof?!" Bruce leapt to his feet, "how can it be waterproof?! She CRIED it onto my shirt!!"

"Well Master Wayne, there must be some mistake..." the servant continued carefully, it was not wise to bait Mr Wayne when he was frustrated, "because I really can't..."

"Oh forget it." Snapped Bruce, striding out of the main room of the penthouse and getting into the lift that led to his underground garage where he kept all his ties to the Batman. He sat down at his computer and started to fiddle around with some of the information on there, vaguely browsing through hacked websites belonging to the mob bosses and police. He did this for a while to take his mind off the things that were troubling him, like the pain in his abdomen, his feelings for Sophie, his guilt for Rachel, and other worries about Batman and his enemies.

After what seemed like half an hour but was in reality five hours later, Alfred deemed Bruce calmed down enough to approach him with a tray of lunch. Bruce accepted it gratefully; he was hungry after all that not really working.

"Mm, thanks Alfred." He said, through a mouthful of sandwich, Alfred looked mildly amused,

"No problem Master Wayne, just doing my job," Alfred glanced at the computer screen, "working hard sir?" he asked with a hint of irony in his voice. Bruce followed his gaze to the "Single Rich People and Looking..." website Bruce had up. Bruce laughed. "I thought you really had something with Miss Swift..." Alfred mused,

"She's hates me, is engaged and let's face it, how could I have a proper relationship with someone when Gotham stills needs Batman?" pointed out Bruce. Alfred seemed to struggle to find some words as to what to say next which surprised Bruce slightly,

"Well, Master Wayne, also you should be thinking about how many people you let into your life," he finally said wisely "too many could get hurt."

"Like Rachel did." Whispered Bruce,

"Although Master Wayne, that wasn't entirely your fault-"

"He knew Alfred." Said Bruce heavily,

"Sir?"

"The Joker knew I, Batman, had feelings for her. He said to me that he was surprised at the way I threw myself over the edge of the building to save her." Bruce put his head in his hands, "It is my fault. She's gone because of me, and I don't want the same thing to happen to Sophie."

"I'm not being funny here Master Wayne, but Miss Swift can take care of herself, or so I've seen." Alfred said solemnly. Bruce didn't lift his head,

"She's emotionally strong, that's true, but so was Rachel." He said to the table, "I just can't stand this anymore."

"It seems perhaps Rachel was emotionally stronger than you, Sir." Said Alfred softly, "you can't give up on Gotham now."

Bruce was silent for a moment. Alfred was right. Alfred was ALWAYS right. But this time the truth hurt. He sighed.

"You're right, Alfred. I need to focus on saving Gotham and then think about my feelings, and even if she's engaged there has to be a good reason why she didn't tell me, right?" Bruce flicked off the computer and stood up, "so first I save Gotham, then I sort myself out."

"Well said Master Wayne," approved Alfred, "although there is something you've forgotten."

"The fact that there is a manhunt going on in Gotham right now for Batman." Said Bruce grimly,

"Exactly sir," agreed Alfred comfortably, "exactly which part of the 'I'm going to show Gotham that the criminals do not run the city' plan included that? And how do you propose on solving Gotham's problems whilst being hunted?"

"I'll think of something Alfred, I always do." Said Bruce, then at that moment his mobile rang. He stared at it in surprise. Usually his mobile didn't ring, he used it for emergencies only and he couldn't think of a single person who had his mobile number except Alfred and Lucius, but this was a private number.

Alfred seemed equally surprised,

"Well sir, aren't you going to answer it then?" he asked, Bruce blinked once or twice as though he forgotten how to use a mobile, then reluctantly he flipped it open and said

"Hello?"

"Is that Mr Wayne?" a man inquired into the phone. Bruce bit his lip wondering who it was,

"Yeah it is, why? Who is this?"

"Heh heh heh." There was a low chuckling on the other end, then- "who I am doesn't matter, I just wanted to say that you take care of my daughter, or I send one of my men to finish you, you hear me?"

"Who is this?" demanded Bruce, "and I don't know your daughter..."

"Hahahaha... just remember that Mr Wayne." Then the phone went dead.

"What?!" Bruce took the phone away from his ear and stared at it as though it was about to explode,

"A threat, Master Wayne?" asked Alfred, Bruce shook his head,

"No... yes... I don't know..." he looked up and his eyes met Alfred's who saw they had a hint of terror in them,

"I really don't know what it was about... but we really should get my phone number changed." He finally decided throwing his phone onto the desk and storming upstairs.

Alfred glanced dully at the mobile lying on the desk and decided it was time to phone Lucius.

When Bruce came back down into the underground garage of his penthouse he was surprised to find Lucius and Alfred having a deep conversation. He presumed it was about him as they dropped silent the minute the elevator came bumping down into the garage place, but he brushed it aside as Lucius greeted him warmly.

"Mr Wayne, how are you? I hear you having a few problems."

"Like what?" Bruce glared at his old butler, but in an affectionate way, "I suppose Alfred has been telling tales again?"

"Not exactly." Smiled Lucius, he gestured to the computer which he'd had on for a long time. "I used some new equipment of mine to track down where your mysterious phone call came from." He said,

"Oh." Bruce looked at the wiggly lines crossing various bits of data that flashed up from the screen, "is that permanent?" he joked, Lucius raised an eyebrow,

"It's just a computer program I rustled up."

"Ah, so did you find out who called me?" asked Bruce,

"Well not exactly..." Lucius frowned for a moment thinking about what he was about to say, then he continued, "Basically I tracked down the area the phone call was made from even though they used a special sort of phone which blocks most kind of technology like this, however-"

"You're far more advanced than they are." Finished Bruce,

"Exactly my point." Agreed Lucius, "Still, it was hard. So anyway, here's your map and the people you'll need to speak to and-" he started handing Bruce some bits of paper, but stopped at the raised eyebrow he was given. "Mr Wayne?"

Bruce ran a hand through his hair, considering the possibilities carefully,

"This person who phoned me had my mobile number. I don't usually use my mobile, sometimes I used the other one I have whilst I'm Batman, but that's it. No one has that mobile number, no one."

"I see what you're trying to say, Mr Wayne," Lucius put in, "That this person must be pretty dangerous if they somehow got hold of your mobile number, and you don't want to be going after them as Batman in case they link you and him together, right?"

"Right." Bruce slumped in the vacant desk chair looking stressed, "None of this would have happened if I had turned myself in when they asked." He muttered grimly, and although he didn't see, Alfred and Lucius exchanged worried looks.

"Master Wayne," Alfred finally said, "may I suggest a way of you taking your mind off everything that's bothering you?"

"If you must."

"Take a holiday Sir, only for a couple of weeks. Maybe when you return you'll be able to cope with everything that's happened."

"A holiday?" Bruce looked up, "That's almost as insane as playing polo!" he emphasised the word polo to show his dislike of it.

Alfred's lip curled in a half smile,

"Perhaps, Master Wayne, although nearly as insane as a man who spends his nights running along rooftops putting Gotham's criminals in jail." He pointed out, to which Lucius added,

"Only to crumble at the first sign of trouble."

"I did not crumbled at the first sign of trouble!" replied Bruce angrily, "I told them to chase me, Lucius, simply because it was the easiest way to cover for Harvey, hoping that if his image remained strong then the people would too! Who needs a masked avenger when they can have a man who doesn't wear a mask and stand up for what he believes is right, who helps Gotham and who will be the success of Gotham's future. I can take the chasing, the guns and the people hating me, I am strong enough to endure this. I am not crumbled!" he was on his feet now, his eyes flashing with passion for the things he had just said. Alfred and Lucius tried not to laugh.

"Ah, Master Wayne, we were only teasing you." Soothed Alfred, "and in truth, you are right."

"Thank you." Muttered Bruce, then he took the paper from Lucius and studied it. Finally he glanced up and said,

"I'll be home late for dinner tonight Alfred, so please postpone my dinner."

Alfred smiled,

"As you wish, Master Wayne."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Sophie adjusted her mask and then slipped off again into the night. She crawled along rooftops, and swung down from them to land on the muddy ground of The Narrows. She was determined to help some more people tonight, but found her mind was elsewhere.

She had blocked all her contacts with the outside world for the time being, hoping that Lady Shymmer would get the hint and take her horrible son away, but it hadn't happened. They'd come round that day and demanded why she wasn't responding to their calls. Sophie had no reply.

William had grown to be a fat, rich man. He was pompous and spoilt, refusing to listen to Sophie when she tried to persuade him to donate some of his vast fortune to charity. She'd even tried to convince him to donate by revealing Bruce's secret about him donating to charity through Wayne Enterprises, but unsurprisingly this had only caused more angst as Lady Shymmer demanded to know everything about Sophie and Bruce's 'relationship', stating that Sophie was engaged and should therefore spend time with her fiancé instead of another man.

When they had finally gone, Katherine had suggested Sophie went out to clear her mind, and Sophie had then decided it was time to talk to her father.

Mr Swift had vanished many years ago, a year after he'd engaged his daughter, 9 years after his wife had been murdered. The engagement was to secure his company's future as he was not going to be in any state to save it. As it so happened, his company fell apart anyway. People said he'd died, and in a way he had. But it was the Mr Swift who had died, along with all his hopes for saving Gotham, the man remained but with a different attitude.

Sophie knew where to find him, she also knew that it would be impossible to go and see him as Sophie, simply because he was far too well guarded and no one was allowed to see him. No one was capable. Except the NightKat.

She approached the building carefully, knowing that the typical dirty pub exterior was just a cover. There was a pub inside, but her father would be located somewhere else in the building. She scaled the side of the building carefully, using a pair of x-ray vision goggles that Rowena had invented for her a few months ago to see through the walls. Most of them were storage areas, filled with junk. She stopped at one window and used a laser pen to cut a circle of the glass out and then slipped through into the room, landing with no sound.

She looked around carefully to make sure no one else was there, or had been alerted to her presence. Nothing.

Then she went over to the door and opened it, stepping out into a well furnished corridor. Ah, this was more like it. Her father really could only live in luxury.

She'd found out from a low level thief a few weeks ago where her father was based. It had been simple to squeeze the information out of him, and even simpler to turn him over to the police. But now she was cautious. Not many people knew that a man named Charles ruled every inch of the criminal underworld.

True there had been other mob bosses, but they had all answered to him, well, to his henchmen. He never showed his face to anyone, one way of keeping his identity a secret. But somewhere along the line there had been a catch. An incident with the papers and then a nosey journalist, and finally a name that made criminals of Gotham quake in their boots: Galidor.

Sophie stopped outside a polished oak door and glanced around, then she opened it and stepped inside.

...

The Batman stealthily slipped in and out of the shadows until he was where he wanted to be. An almost deserted street lay in front of him. He glanced at the peice of paper Lucius had given him with some people's names on it and looked up. There was the first victim.

He crept over to the unaware man and then whispered,

"Don't turn around." He held a bat shaped boomerang to the back of the man's neck, but the sharp bit was digging in to the man's neck and he knew it was dangerous.

"Who-who-who are you?" he stammered,

"Never mind that," he paused "I need information. Now." Bruce was quite aware that if he gave his name or people saw him then they would think that Batman had returned to them. Not quite what he had in mind.

"Information? I don't know nothing..." the man protested,

"Oh I think you do." Growled Bruce.

...

The room was filled with muscle henchmen, all of whom seemed as though they'd been expecting her. At one end of the room was a desk and behind it sat... Galidor.

"Welcome, NightKat." He said smiling, "so you managed to find me, eh? And not without help I'll warrant." He glanced at the men, then added, "Give up your weapons or else they will search you." There was no mistaking the threat in her father's voice, as she grimly wondered what had caused him to change. Reluctantly she took out all of her weapons: her katana, an explosion device (mostly for distractions) and a small dagger.

"I don't believe that's everything." Said Galidor and Sophie shrugged,

"You'll have to believe it, I only use hand to hand combat...mostly."

He seemed satisfied and nodded for his henchmen to leave, one of them picked up the weapons.

"Don't worry." Smiled Galidor, "you'll get them back."

When the henchmen had gone, Sophie saw that standing next to Galidor was Rowena.

"Rowena!" she gasped, thinking 'that traitor', but her father smiled grimly.

"Don't think she betrayed you." He said, "She didn't. I employed her help for a phone call I had to make, but didn't want to be traced. She refused to tell me who you were even though I had a hunch." He pointed to the door, "you can go now." He told her. Rowena nodded and left.

Then it was just the two of them.

"Have a seat." Galidor offered, but Sophie declined,

"No thanks, I'm not here for a chat."

"No?" he raised his eyebrows, "I thought after all these years you would want to chat with me, and at least know why."

"Why?" she asked, confused.

"Why I did it. Why I vanished only to turn up amongst the people I hate." He leant forward in his chair, "do you want to know why?"

"Maybe." She shrugged,

"Because I like being in control of these idiots. Because I can order them to do as I please and none of them have the faintest idea I hate them. Because I can order them away from the people I care about."

"How considerate." Said Sophie sarcastically, and he laughed,

"Or I could have dressed up in some form of disguise and ploughed the streets of Gotham helping those who need it and locking up criminals, you're thinking, yes?"

"Maybe." Sophie said again, wondering what had happened to the father she'd loved.

"Hm." He settled back in his chair again, "So why are you here really?"

"I want you to cancel my engagement." Sophie said heavily and waited for his response. Then he broke into peals of laughter. She waited uncomfortably for him to finish.

"Cancel your engagement?" he choked through his laughter, and Sophie clenched her fists.

"I don't want to marry into that family." She said angrily, "I don't love William, I don't like Lady Shymmer and most importantly it doesn't matter now that there is no company-" she drew a breath but he cut across her,

"How old are you, Sophie?"

"What?" she was taken aback, "Oh, 26."

"And you want me to cancel your engagement? Why?"

"You're my father."

"And you're no longer a child." He smiled at her fondly, "do you understand? You can cancel it yourself, you don't need me and to the rest of the world you're the head of our family for now."

Sophie looked at him agast. Surprised that he hadn't made a fuss. She wanted to thank him, but she couldn't. Finally she said,

"No, you're wrong. I _am_ the head of the family now. Mr Swift, my father, is dead." Then she turned on her heel and went through the door. The guard outside mutely handed her back her weapons and said,

"You can go through the main door, if you want." As Sophie headed for the room she'd come through, she glanced back

"No thanks." She retorted.

...

"Galidor, huh." Mused Bruce, gazing up at the building where apparently the man who'd made the phone call was. He took a step towards it, then noticed a dark shape making it's way down the side of the building. He gave a slight smile and went over to the shape.

"Why is it every time I hit the streets I always bump into you?" he remarked cheerfully, causing the NightKat to jump.

"Oh, it's you." She said,

"Just that?" he asked, "after I saved your life? Hmm, typical female reaction."

"Shut up." She glared at him, then asked "what are you doing here anyway?"

"Come to meet a Mr Galidor." He said breezily, "you?"

"What? Galidor?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

The NightKat blinked,

"What are you here to see him about anyway?"

"Stuff." Then he paused, "I was just intrigued to know that there is one man who controls all the mob bosses."

"Well he's not in right now." She said suddenly, "I tried to see him but he wasn't in."

"Maybe he was hiding." Suggested Bruce,

"No, I've been here before and he certainly wasn't in today." She swiftly moved past him and off into the darkness.

Bruce stared after her wondering what to do next, but then he thought he had no choice but to leave it that evening. 'What a shame', he thought dimly and set off heading back home.

As he dodged from street to street he came across a woman being robbed by six or seven men (it was too dark to see clearly), feeling a sense of justice he stepped in and without saying a word took out three of the men, then the others backed away from him.

"It's The Batman..." they whispered, "we'd heard you were gone... wanted by the police..."

"He is." Said an evil voice behind Batman and he saw to his horror it had been a setup and the 'woman' was in fact The Joker, "Looooong time no seeeeeeeeee." He chuckled, Bruce glared at him through his mask,

"You're supposed to be locked up." He growled,

"Haha! But I thought that with a bit of help I can catch the Batman and clear my name seeeeee?" laughed the Joker, the other men whipped out huge guns and Bruce realised with a shock he was surrounded.

"Perhaps." He said quietly, "but when you've turned me in they'll just lock you up too."

The Joker laughed and then clicked his fingers. The men opened fire.

Cursing, Bruce rolled as fast as he could away from them, feeling the dangerous shots ripping at his cloak, he tried to melt into the shadows but they kept coming after him.

He spun around trying to find a way to escape, but to his horror saw there was no escape and suddenly he wondered if this was the end, as the explosives exploded around him.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sophie was almost back at the street leading out of The Narrows when she heard an explosion come out from somewhere within The Narrows. She glanced back and saw the damage it was causing from at least 3 blocks away. Narrowing her eyes she darted off in the direction, but slowed to a stop as she saw what was happening. The Batman was under fire from six big burly men all holding massive guns that showered explosives onto him and gave no sign of stopping, and there amongst it all was the Joker.

'Really,' thought Sophie, 'don't these people ever stay locked up?' she edged forward, but her internal instincts told her that it wasn't safe. What could she do?

Part of her wanted to turn away and say there was no way she would jump into the middle of a fight like that, especially as her suit was not nearly as sturdy as Batman's. Rowena was working on something really sturdy, but too much was too heavy for Sophie and weighed her down. Defiantly she wouldn't be able to stop those explosions; however, she knew something that could. Grinning at her idea she dashed away again and out into the main street where her posh new car was parked and she leapt into it.

Then she revved the engine and drove into The Narrows, flicking a few switches inside as she went.

"Initialising Kat-mode." A cool female voice emitted from within the car's intricate computer, "Please chose your setting."

Sophie flicked through the various settings until she came to the one she was looking for and she pressed the button,

"Initialising Kat-mode Bazooka." Said the computer and Sophie smiled, those explosions weren't as big as bazooka fire.

Whilst she drove and chose her setting the exterior of the car changed as did the inside. Panels slid up, panels slid down, on the outside a thick, protective, dark layer covered the windows and the bits slid in and out of the design until it looked completely different. Then she screeched to a stop just by the ambush on the Batman,

"I hope I'm not too late." She muttered and the revved the engine again, this time louder so that it broke through the explosions and made some of the men stop and turn.

"What is that?!" demanded the Joker angrily and then had to duck as Sophie fired its guns at him, "Open fire you morons!" the Joker cried at the men and then disappeared off into the darkness. The men opened fire, but as the smoke cleared they realised the car was sturdier than it looked. Then Batman jumped out of a hiding place where he'd gone when the car had distracted the men and ran over to Sophie's car. Warily, she opened the passenger door,

"Get it!" she yelled and he hastily slid in,

"Certainly!" he gasped. When the door closed, Sophie risked a glance at him. He was exhausted; she could see that perfectly well and his cloak was in tatters.

"I hope you have spares for that." She said solemnly, he nodded grimly

"Yeah I do." Then he paused, "thanks, by the way."

"Now we're even," Sophie replied, and then she drove away from the Joker's men. "I suppose they were trying to kill you?" she asked,

"Seems that way." Agreed The Batman, "however, the Joker mentioned turning me in and claiming some kind of reward."

"Like what?" Sophie was sceptical,

"A pardon, as it seems." The Batman said grimly,

"Do you think they promised him one, or it's just wishful thinking?" she asked,

"I don't know. Either way, he wasn't going to get it that's for sure."

"But what if... what if they really had promised him one for handing you in?" Sophie said quietly, "what if they're so desperate to get you, they'll even make deals with the Joker??"

"I doubt it" was the reply, "at least I hope not."

"Why?"

"Because I was the one who told Gordon to start a hunt for me, that's why." Batman gazed out of the window, recognising his own district (although Sophie didn't know this) "Um, where are we?" he asked, Sophie seemed to realise to and laughed,

"Woops! Silly me!" she said, blushing, "I'm sorry, you remind me of a friend of mine and I just..." she broke off. How stupid could she have been? She felt mortified that she'd thought he was Bruce, but it was simply the way they spoke to each other. She felt so at ease with him, like she did with Bruce that she'd headed for Bruce's penthouse on autopilot. She turned the car around and said,

"Where do you want dropping off?"

He seemed to think for a moment, then,

"There's an old collection of cargo containers round the back of these buildings," he indicated Bruce's penthouse, "if you drop me off there I can slip home in the dark."

"Ah, good idea." Agreed Sophie, glad that he hadn't pressed the matter of her accidently going on autopilot to someone else's house.

She dropped him off where he'd said and drove off into the distance.

...

Bruce entered his penthouse and bumped straight into Alfred,

"Ah, Master Wayne, I was beginning to get worried!" Alfred said, then fell silent at the sight of Bruce's face, "Sir? Did something happen?"

"I was ambushed by the Joker," said Bruce quickly, "but actually something else happened."

"Ah, what?"

"The NightKat gave me a lift but took me to right outside my house."

Alfred looked shocked,

"Are you sure, Sir? So she knows who you are?"

"No, I don't think so." Bruce flung himself into an armchair that was waiting for him, "mostly because she said it was a mistake, that I reminded her of a friend of hers." Here Bruce broke off and gave Alfred a levelled stare, "I remind her of a friend of hers." He repeated.

Alfred nodded,

"Well it does sound like an honest mistake then..." he trailed off, "Master Wayne?"

"I remind her, of a friend of hers." Bruce said again, this time slower and aimed directly at Alfred who seemed suddenly sheepish,

"Oh, Master Wayne, I think I know what you're trying to say."

"Exactly." Bruce paused for a moment thinking hard, "So the NightKat is in fact one of Bruce Wayne's lady friends. Am I right?"

He remembered only too well that Alfred had seen the NightKat's face, and now wondered why he didn't tell him.

"Possibly sir, although I do believe you've been wrong about things like this before."

"Oh I have?" but he didn't press it, thinking it over some more. "So she's female," he muttered, "blue eyes, knows me well enough to subconsciously recognise me as one of her friends, pale hair... young..." Alfred gave an amused smile which Bruce didn't see, and quickly left the room whilst Bruce tried to figure it out. Finally Bruce realised.

"Sophie!" he cried jumping to his feet and grabbing a nearby phone.

...

Sophie gave a jump as the phone rang suddenly, without warning. She glanced at Katherine who was just about to leave to go to bed, Katherine jumped to and quickly went to answer it,

"Hello, Swift residence, how can I... Oh, Mr Wayne..." she trailed off, "Sophie?" she inquired into the phone with a glance at Sophie standing poised about to go and get changed, then said "I'm afraid she's in bed... well it is almost 3am!" she listened for a while and then said "well! OK! Goodbye!" and she hung up.

"What could he want at 3 in the morning?" asked Sophie annoyed, "honestly, that man!"

"Said he wanted a chat Miss," shrugged Katherine, "some men are like that."

"Yeah, I've noticed." Sophie replied with a faint smile.

...

"In bed. She's gone to bed." Said Bruce as though he couldn't believe it, "No, that damn maid is just covering for her." He went to pick up the phone again, but Alfred who was now back in the room said

"Sir, if you keep phoning her and eventually reveal that you know she's the NightKat then she will work out you're The Batman." He pointed out,

"Oh god yeah." He left the phone where it was. "So what do I do?"

"Let it pass Master Wayne, let it pass." Soothed Alfred. "Focus on the task ahead."

"You're so wise Alfed, and so right." Agreed Bruce, then he glanced out of one of the penthouse's many windows, "Tomorrow," he said, "the Joker and the Puzzler will meet their match in Batman, tomorrow... Batman returns."


End file.
